Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 11, 2026
Information We Collect
We collect minimal personal information. When you visit our website, we may collect anonymized usage data through Google Analytics (GA4) to understand traffic patterns — but only if you consent via our cookie banner. We also track article view counts using aggregated, non-personal counters. No personal data is stored by our view tracking system.
Cookies & Consent
We use a cookie consent banner to request your permission before activating analytics or advertising cookies. If you reject cookies, Google Analytics and Google AdSense will not track you. Essential cookies required for the website to function (e.g., consent preference) are stored locally in your browser and are not sent to any server. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser's local storage.
Google Analytics
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with IP anonymization enabled and Google Consent Mode v2. This means no analytics data is collected until you accept cookies. GA4 may collect information such as pages visited, session duration, device type, and approximate location. We do not use this data to identify individual users. You can opt out at any time using browser extensions such as the Google Analytics Opt-Out Add-on.
Advertising
With your consent, we display advertisements through Google AdSense. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your browsing history. Consent Mode ensures no ad personalization data is collected until you accept. You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google's Ad Settings (adssettings.google.com). The Abay Times does not have direct access to your browsing data collected by ad networks.
Third-Party Services
Our website is hosted on Vercel. Our content management system is Ghost. Our analytics are provided by Google Analytics. Advertising is provided by Google AdSense. Article popularity tracking uses Upstash Redis (storing only article identifiers, no personal data). Each of these services has its own privacy policy governing data processing on their infrastructure.
Data Retention
Consent preferences are stored in your browser's local storage indefinitely until cleared. Google Analytics data is retained according to Google's default retention settings (14 months). View count data (article slugs only) is retained for up to 14 days for trending calculations.
Your Rights
Under applicable privacy laws (including GDPR for EU visitors), you have the right to: access your personal data, request correction or deletion, object to processing, withdraw consent at any time, and lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@abaytimes.com. We respond to all requests within 14 business days.
Children's Privacy
Our website is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
For privacy-related inquiries, contact privacy@abaytimes.com.